Disruptive behaviors are conditions that can have a great influence in the teaching environment. Disruptive behaviors unswervingly hinder the ability of the teacher or the capability of a learner to benefit from their classroom experiences. Students attend schools with hopes of being productive citizens of society. I like to think of students as future leaders of tomorrow! For the most part, students attend school because it is the law. A learning environment should have actively engaged students, who are eager to participate and show knowledge is being acquired on a daily basis.
However, some students are bored and disengaged with academic struggles, due to non-active lessons. Certain life factors such as family problems, financial difficulties are all factors that distract and contribute to students disruptive behaviors. One of the most detrimental settings for a teacher in a class is classroom management. Classroom management is defined as being "the methods and strategies an educator uses to maintain a classroom environment that is conducive to student success and learning" (McCreary, 2011). Disorderly student conduct is unfavorable to the entire academic process because they impede with the learning process of other classmates and cause teachers not to be able to instruct teachers most effectively.
Children have difficulties dealing with different classroom environments and tend to act out. Teachers who possess no well-thought-out classroom management abilities add to adverse learning results. The lack of classroom management abilities often adds to stigmatizing students who internalized the labels "mean," "bad," or "crazy" and by disobedient, reflected back to the instructor and/or school the negative labels applied on them (Reglin et al. 2012). Disruptive behaviors can take away from students learning and educational experience. Teachers miss out on opportunities to conduct their classrooms in an orderly way. It would be helpful if teachers are equipped to deal with common disruptive behaviors. If teachers could understand possible causes and solutions, this may be able to help them solve behavior problems. By understanding the causes of behaviors, teachers may be able to reduce the likelihood that these particular students will suffer from social isolation after these behaviors.
All teachers don’t consider certain behaviors of students disruptive, while other teachers may. There are several types of disruptive behavior. Some of these behaviors include, but or not limited to aggressive behaviors, social disruptions, defiant behaviors, emotional disruptions, showboating, resting in class, prolonged chattering, unwarranted lateness, noisy electronic devices, and disturbing the teachers authority or expertise.
Aggressive behaviors can include physical altercations, damaging school property and the intimidation of peers. Defiant behaviors can be the vocal disregard of classroom rules and unfortunately, devaluing teacher’s expertise and judgment. Social disruptions are students talking amongst themselves, interrupting teachers and students with conversations not valid with the subject at hand and passing notes. Emotional disturbances are uncontrollable temper tantrums. Showboating is when students monopolize classroom discussions, speaking about their favorite subjects with no regard to the relevancy of the subject or class that they are in. Sleeping in class is disrespectful to the teacher and fellow classmates. If I had a student sleeping in my class, I would think that my quality of teaching is boring.
Prolonged chattering is when students engage in private conversations. Students who come to class late on a regular basis can be disruptive. Often times, they come into the classroom talking to other students, walking around the classroom and arranging their things. Some students, although they are not supposed to, have cell phones, I pads and iPods’ in their possession and tend to forget to silence them. Email alerts, text alerts, alarms and other noises can come from these electronic devices causing disturbances to both teachers and students. Students, who are not happy with the grade they received or maybe frustrated because of a teacher reprimanding them, may tend to dispute the instructors authority or expertise causing a disruption.
Thankfully, I have not been afforded the opportunity to be in the classroom as a teacher, but as a student in class, I can honestly say that I have witnessed each of these behaviors by my classmates. As a soon to be educator, I want to be able to keep my sanity and create a peaceful learning atmosphere in my classroom. I do not want to be the teacher that’s stressed from yelling, screaming and having to be on medication just to deal with students. Ironically, some of these same students who act out are on medication themselves. Students, just as teachers come from all walks of life. We all have problems and not all of us can deal with a stressful situations or even conflicts which are both parts of life.
As a future teacher, I know that it is critical for teachers to have a variety of strategies to reach out to all different types of students. Educational researchers and educators are the first and most vocal skeptics of overstated claims about academic outcomes since they know how many elements can influence student learning and standardized test scores in particular, including the importance of quality teaching and parental support (Boyce et al. 2003). Since teaching accountability is imperative, classroom management will be very important from the first day of school. I will make sure that there is a variety of lessons planned to keep my students engaged. I plan on being fair, positive and consistent with my students. I have been told that many new teachers have struggles with managing student’s behavior. As long as the classroom management plan is in place, there is no reason for students to be disruptive.
References
Boyce, P., Hunter, C. & Howlett, O. (2003). The Benefits of Daylight through Windows. New York: Lighting Research Centre, RPI.
McCreary, Randy. Classroom Management Definition | eHow.com, 2011. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5438989_classroom-management- definition.html#ixzz1d29163uZ
Reglin, G., King, S., Losike-Sedimo, N., & Ketterer, A. (2003). Barriers to School Involvement and Strategies to Enhance Involvement from Parents at Low-performing Urban Schools. Journal of At-Risk Issues 9(2), 1-7.
http://www.fullerton.edu/deanofstudents/judicial/New%20Content/Faculty%20Resources/Disrup tive%20Classroom%20Behavior.pdf
Daniels, A. (2014, Jan 22). What Is Considered Disruptive Behavior in a Classroom? Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/147291-what-is-disruptive-behavior-in-the- classroom/
